As if the 49-5 Golden State Warriors need more positive reinforcements to come their way down the stretch. The team is reportedly heavy favorites to sign big man Anderson Varejao, who was just recently waived by the Portland Trail Blazers after being acquired from the Cleveland Cavaliers on Thursday.
Golden State has emerged as the heavy favorite to sign Anderson Varejao after he clears waivers later today, according to league sources.
— Marc Stein (@TheSteinLine) February 21, 2016
Varejao, 33, has played sparingly this season. Prior to his trade from Cleveland, the former first-round pick was averaging just 2.6 points and 2.9 rebounds per game. This comes on the heels of Varejao missing 56 games to injury last season.
None of this means that the big man can’t be of help to the Warriors should they sign him. Varejao, a favorite of LeBron James, had put up an average of 9.8 points and 6.5 rebounds per game prior to the Achilles injury last season.
With Festus Ezeli out for at least the next month after undergoing knee surgery and Andrew Bogut missing Saturday’s game against the Los Angeles Clippers with a sore Achilles, the Warriors could use some help here.
While the defending champs tend to have the most success when they go small, this center tandem has proven to be more than up for the task. Overall this season, Bogut and Ezeli are averaging a combined 13.0 points, 13.3 rebounds and 2.9 blocks per game.
Knowing Bogut’s injury history and with Ezeli sidelined, it would make perfect sense for the Warriors to pounce all over Varejao. He would add a whole lot of experience and defensive wizardry to a front court that seems to need it right now.
A corresponding roster move would have to be made should Golden State sign Varejao. In this, both James Michael McAdoo and Jason Thompson have been bandied about as possible waiver candidates.